Process and apparatus for converting petroleum oil



March'17, 1931. R. CROSS 1,796,507

7 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM OIL Filed July 9, 1924 VENTOR.

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Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE ROY CROSS, OF KANSAS CITY MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY M ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

GASOLINE PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC., OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING DETROLEUM OIL Application filedJnly 9, 1924.: Serial No. 724,995.

This invention relates to improvements in a process and apparatus for converting relatively heavy petroleum oils into hghter' mitted to assume a relatively stagnant condition whereby the free carbon particles contained therein in suspended condition are gravitated downwardly and drawn-off while the relativelycarbon free oil is caused to rise in a vertical direction and directed from the top of the settling stage to a. cooling zone.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational View of the. apparatus with parts, broken away and parts in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a modified'form' of construction for the settling stage. i

Referring to the drawings, heating coils 1 are positioned in a furnace 2 which is preferablyheated by means of gas burners such as that shown at 3. (4) is an enlarged vaporizing chamber which is connected, by means of a vapor line;5, to a refluxing tower 6, preferably of the bubble type construc-.

tion such as that shown in the broken away portion. (7) is a settling tank connected to the vaporizing chamber by the line 8 and to the cooling coil 9 by means of the line 10. The dephlegmating tower has a vapor connection 11 with the condenser coil 12 positioned in the condenser box 13, the.discharge end of the coil havingcommunication through a line le with the gas separator 15. The gas separator in turn is connected to a receiving tank, 16 by means of a pipe 17 controlled by a valve 18. Gas maybe withdrawn from the gas separator 0 through the line 19 controlled by a valve 20.

hydrocarbons at the present time.

Liquid distillate may be withdrawn from the receiving tank through the drawofl line 121 controlled by a valve 22.

The reflux condensate, withdrawn from the 'dephlegmating tower through the pipe 23 controlled by a valve 24,:"is returned through time pipe 23 to be recirculated with the charging stock through the heating coil. The charging stock maybe introduced directly through a line not shown connected to the intake of the pump .or into the top of the dephlegmator through the pipe 25 where it is gravitated downwardly, being utilized as a. refluxing medium traveling in an opposed direction to the vapors which are rising through the column.

The heating-of the oilin the tubesl is so controlled that the oil is brought to a cracking temperature without permitting any considerable decomposition nor deposi-' tion of carbon in the tubes.- The oil, in this highly heated condition, is passed to the vaporizing chamber 4 which is heavily insulatcd to prevent loss of heat through radiation and is there collected in a considerable body. Its accumulation in this stage introduces a time factor necessary for proper 'conversion. From t. .5 body of oil are distilled oif the lighter fractions which rise through the vapor line 5 and are subjected to a refluxing action in the dephlegmating column 6. Overhead material of the proper quality and characters, controlled by temperatures in the tower, pass off through the line 11, are condensed in the coil 12 and are finally collected as liquid distillate in the receiving tanklG A separation of the liquid and gaseous material is made in the gas separator 15.

This method of operation is common practice and is well known in the cracking of The control of the temperature and pressure conditions will vary according to the type of oil used. Experience has taught that with the Mid-Continent gas oil of approximately 30 gravity, ,pressures from 100 to 200 pounds maintained upon the oil undergoing treatment, and temperatures ranging from 600 to 900 F. give satisfactory results and the desired amount of conversion.

The unvaporized material, or 'carbon laden products resulting from the decomposition of the oil in the chamber 4, is drawn off through the pipe 8 regulated by a control valve 26. This tarry or pitchy material flows downwardly into the bottom of the container, as designated by the arrow, near the outer portion of the tank. In the lower part or conical bottom wherein collects and accumulates in a relatively stagnant body due to its stagnant condition, the inert oil tends to gravitate out the free carbonaceous material contained in the oil in a suspended condition. during its turbulent travel from the vaporizing stage. This coky or carbonaceous matter is drawn oif either intermittently or continuously through the pipe 27 controlled by a valve 28. The oil, from which the carbon has been settled out, rises in a vertical direction into the open-ended central tubular member 29 in the direction shown ,by the arrow and passes ofi through the line regulated by a valve 10a to the cooling coil 9 vpositioned in a water cooled condenser box 30.

This relatively carbon free oil improved in its quality due to the elimination of the objectionable carbonaceous matter containedtherein prior to its passage to the settling tank, may now be utilized as a burning oil for fuel purposes without danger of producing trouble due to the presence of this carbonaceous material. If it is desired to further convert the oil, this elimination of the carbonaceous matter makes it a more usable charging stock for further treatment as the presenc'eof free carbon in the oil immediately introduces difliculties where oil is to be heated either in a retort or coil.

It is desirable that the settling or separating chamber 7 be heavily insulated to maintain the oil at as high a temperature as possible in order that it will maintain the fluidity and the carbonaceous material more easily settled therefrom. Under certain conditions it may be advantageous to promote settling to add asmall amount of heat to the settling chamber in order to maintain theproper fluidity of the oil as considerable heat is lost during vaporization in the chamber 4. To accomplish this, a heating means such as the furnace shown in Fig. 2 and designated as 31, may be built around the lower part of the chamber while the upper portion may be heavily insulated as shown at 83. While it may improve conditions to add heat in this manner, care must be used not to add sufficient heat to set up strong convection currents or to produce a turbulency in the oil due to the heating as this would result in the maintainin of the carbonaceous material in a suspen ed condition and prevent its separation by gravitation.

The separation of carbon in the chamber 7 is preferably carried on at substantially the pressure and temperature of the oil in the vaporizing chamber 4 although reduced pressure may be maintained if desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process for converting petroleum oils, consisting in raising the oil to a cracking temperature without substantial con version in a heating stage, collecting the oil in a substantial body and distilling off the lighter fractions in a vaporizing stage, refluxing and condensing the vaporized matcrial, directing the unvaporized products to a stagnant pool adapted to be heated to facilitate settling of the free carbonaceous material, withdrawing separately the heavy settlings from the bot-tom of said pool and the liquid relatively carbon free oil from a vertical restricted .column in said pool whereby turbulency in .the oil body is prevented. I

2. In an apparatus for converting petroleum oil, the combination with heating and vaporizing means whereby the oil is subjected to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, of means for subjecting the vaporized fractions to a refluxing and condensing action, a settling reservoir connected with the vaporizing stage wherein the unvaporized products withdrawn from the vaporizing stage are relieved of their free carbonaceous matter, and means for adjusting the temperature in the settling reservoir.

3. In an apparatus for converting petroleum oil, the combination with heating and vaporizing means whereby the oil is subjected to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, of means for subjecting the vaporized fractions to a refluxing and con- (lensing action, settling means connected to the vaporizing means comprising an enlarged container having an open-ended standpipe' therein and a bottom drain whereby the settlings may be removed through the drain and the relatively carbon free liquid from the interior of the standpipe.

4. A process of separating carbon from a liquid hydrocarbon oil comprising passing the liquid to a stagnant pool adapted to be heated to facilitate settling of free carbonaceous material, withdrawing separately the settlings from the bottom of the pool and the relatively carbon free liquid from a vertical restricted column in said pool.

5. A carbon separating chamber comprising a container having liquid inlet and outlet openings, a stand pipe within the container, a second liquid outlet pipe communicating directly with the top of the stand pipe, a casing enclosing a portion ofthe container, and a heating element within the casing.

6. A carbon separating chamber comprising a tubular container having liquid inlet and outlet openings, a stand pipe within the container, a second liquid outlet pipe communicating directly with the top of the stand pipe, the upper portion of said container being covered with insulation, and a furnace enclosing the lower portion thereof.

7. A carbon separating apparatus comprising an enlarged chamber having anopen-ended stand pipe therein, and a bottom drain, means to withdraw settlings through the drain, and means to withdraw relatively carbon free liquid from the interior of the stand pipe, a casing enclosing a portion of the chamber, and a heating element within the casing ROY oRoss 

